In the medical field, accurate processing of records relating to patient visits to hospitals and clinics ensures that the records contain reliable and up-to-date information for future reference. Accurate processing may also be useful for medical systems and professionals to receive prompt and precise reimbursements from insurers and other payers. Some medical systems may include electronic health record (EHR) technology that assists in ensuring records of patient visits and files are accurate in identifying information needed for reimbursement purposes. These EHR systems generally have multiple specific interfaces into which medical professionals may input information about the patients and their visits.
The patient files within the EHR usually include protected health information (PHI). PHI represents personal information to which limited access is desirable and often required by government laws and regulations, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) in the United States. Similar laws to restrict access to PHI exist in many other countries.